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Community Council Elections

Published on:

24

August 2016

Clackmannanshire residents are going to the polls for a third time this year, this time to elect their community councils.

Places on all nine of Clackmannanshire's community councils are to be filled at these elections. They are: Alloa with 16 vacancies; Alva, Clackmannan, Dollar, Menstrie, Sauchie & Fishcross, Tillicoultry, Coalsnaughton & Devonside and Tullibody Cambus & Glenochil each with 14 vacancies; and Muckhart with 12 vacancies. All places in all community councils become vacant at this election giving the people the power directly to choose who represents them at community level and to stand for election themselves.

One of the distinctive features of community councils is that their election process is similar to that of a Local Authority election in its openness and accessibility to every elector in the area from all walks of life, a range of ages and backgrounds. A community council thrives on having diversity and variety of membership and everyone has something to contribute, so if becoming a community councillor is something you have been thinking about, then take the opportunity this election presents to stand. You don't have to attend a meeting to nominate someone to the community council or to stand for election yourself. Nominations need a nominee, a proposer and a seconder who fill out a nomination form. Anyone who is 16 or over and who appears on our electoral roll in the Community Council area can stand, propose or second.

Provost Derek Stewart, comes into contact with community councils through many aspects of Council business and is aware of the significance of these elections. He said: "Community Councils achieve a great deal on behalf of their communities, even if much of that is 'behind the scenes' involving extensive negotiations with the Council and other statutory agencies about matters affecting services in their communities. As a Councillor, I value the role community councils play in channelling information to and from communities. It is important the people use the power these elections give them to elect a community council to carry on with this sort of work."

Notices about forthcoming community council elections are going up at key community locations throughout Clackmannanshire inviting residents to make nominations to their community councils.